Amin Abbas
ABU DHABI: Anime mania is taking over Abu Dhabi’s Manarat Al Saadiyat for five days with the inaugural Animenia festival, set to take place from Oct. 23 to 27. Organized by the Department of Culture and Tourism and the leading event agency BRAG, the festival will celebrate the whimsical world of anime, transporting fans and gamers into the vibrant world of Neo-Tokyo without ever leaving Abu Dhabi.
Taking place against the stunning beachfront backdrop of Saadiyat Island, Animenia will celebrate the thriving anime fandom in the region. This exciting event offers travelers and residents the chance to meet some of the biggest names in anime and video gaming, along with a stellar lineup of concerts, J-Pop performances, and appearances from popular shows.
Setting a new standard for anime festivals in the region, Animenia will host an international cosplay competition, where fans dress up as their favorite characters from anime, video games, or comics to compete in costume contests.
With more than AED 400,000 in prizes, the most ever offered in an anime festival anywhere in the world, this competition is expected to draw top cosplayers from around the world.
Judging this epic competition will be cosplay legends Yuegene Fay from Thailand, Rian CYD from Indonesia, Naythero from France, and SayoChuu and SabCosplay from Latvia, with special guests including Reika from Japan and VEGA Cosplay from Saudi Arabia also scheduled to be in attendance.
Festival goers will be fully immersed in their favorite shows, with interactive themed exhibits bringing them to life. Anime lovers will meet fan favorite characters like Naruto, Eren Jaeger from Attack on Titan and Yuji Itadori from Jujutsu Kaisen. Additionally, fans of Sanrio will delight in seeing Hello Kitty. Iconic scenes and full-scale anime recreations will add to the excitement of the festival, providing endless photo opportunities for all.
The event will feature an array of non-stop entertainment, including Japanese shows, J-Pop concerts, jaw-dropping acrobatic displays, and talk sessions. Fans can expect a stellar lineup of musical acts, including headliners Rasha Rizk, Syrian singer-songwriter and cartoon voice actress, who will take to the stage on Oct. 25 and legendary J-Pop band Flow on the following day. They will be accompanied by anime singer Mojo and iconic band Angela, respectively.
Kicking off the festival on Oct. 23, attendees can look forward to a performance from the legend herself, Yoko Takahashi, known for her hit songs in the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. Additionally, Japanese singer Junna will captivate audiences up until Oct. 25, while b-boy dance unit Real Akiba Boyz will energize the crowd with performances from Oct. 24 to 26.
Joining the exciting lineup for the first time ever in the region are Powerglove, an American instrumental video game cover band, performing on the 26th and opening up the Cosplay competition. All this will lead up to the festival’s grand finale on the 27th, when anime-inspired rock bands Blinding Sunrise, Koyomi, Catch Me Yesterday, and Snowkel will give an unforgettable closing show.
Fans will be amazed by themed installations in a designated gaming hub featuring a VR zone, an Esports zone, Japanese-style arcade games, a central stage with anime-inspired competitions and a publisher’s zone, all in partnership with AD Gaming. Fans can also unleash their creativity with an exciting lineup of Japanese and anime-themed workshops, offering entertainment for visitors of all ages.
Throughout the festival, Japanese brand Tamiya will have a dedicated station where fans can design and create their own car models for race tournaments.
Gunpla will also offer creative sessions, allowing enthusiasts to build intricate model kits of mecha machinery from Bandai’s Gundam multiverse.
Animenia will showcase delicious and authentic Tokyo street food with a selection of tantalising dining options, featuring everything from mouthwatering ramen to sweet mochi, bringing the vibrant flavours of Japan right to Abu Dhabi. The festival will also boast an impressive lineup of regional and international brands, with an eclectic mix of anime accessories, collectable merchandise, and trendy anime streetwear.
A series of manga artists, voice actors, and video game creators will be hosting interactive meet-and-greets for fans, the perfect opportunity to get autographs, take photos, or simply have a memorable conversation with the creative minds behind these incredible shows. Animenia will further feature informative Q&A sessions, allowing fans to delve deeper into the ingenuity behind beloved manga and video games.
Among the familiar faces will be Yutaka Abe, who worked on the world-famous anime and manga series Detective Conan, while a session with Ryo Horikawa, the iconic voice of Vegeta from Dragon Ball and Captain Falcon from Super Smash Bros., will offer the chance to meet one of the most legendary voice actors in anime.
Kenji Watanabe, the creative mind behind the Digimon Digital World series; Naoto Ohshima, the artist responsible for designing Sonic the Hedgehog, Kikuko Inoue, the famed voice actress, singer, and narrator; and Yoko Shimomura, the legendary music composer of Kingdom Hearts and Super Mario RPG, will also make appearances, rounding out a star-studded list of guests with many more to be announced soon.
Registration for the cosplay competition is open Animenia’s website. Tickets start from ¥4,876 (125 AED) and are available now on Ticketmaster.